How Big Agriculture is Destroying the Climate Bill

Sometimes I just feel really stupid. Like voting for democrats who promise you the world, take your vote, make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside and then ignore you like you didn't ever exist. Not that I voted for the jerk who is destroy our chance for a climate bill for the future, but part of me things that if you are a Democrat you should all be on the same page, like the Republicans,, but they aren't and it causes me no end of frustration.

Take for example, Minnesota Rep. Colin Peterson, this man acts like a Republican, not a Democrat. So why is he a Democrat? And what benefit is it to vote for a party who you think is going to act in your interest and then see them blithely ignore you and do the exact opposite?

Why is it the Republicans vote lock in step with leadership yet the Democrats all seem to vote how ever they are feeling at any given moment, depending on who is giving them money? Like how Rep. Peterson is so snugly tucked into the rear end pocket of big agriculture?

Shouldn't there be a law against this kind of pandering?

The Waxman-Markey climate legislation is this administrations attempt to really change the direction of this countries environmental policy by firmly addressing global warming and putting into place caps and other safe guards to reduce emissions among other things.

Big agriculture and their best friend Rep. Peterson think we would be better off not changing at all because it will upset their business model and bottom line. They are using all their power and resources to make sure this bill is so gutted by the time it gets to the floor as to be a waste of paper and from what I can tell President Obama is fine with that.

Tom Philpot at Grist does a good job of laying things out and explaining what it all means, as does Keith Goetzman over at Utne.

This is definitely one of those go to the window, open, stick head out and scream:

I'M MAD AS HELL AND I'M NOT GOING TO TAKE IT ANY MORE ....moments.

Not that it would do you any good, but it might feel nice to get it off your chest.